Speakers at the Democratic National Convention portrayed President
Barack Obama's presidency in glowing terms Tuesday evening, but many
left out important details or embellished his record.
Others mischaracterized programs backed by Republican challenger Mitt Romney and GOP running mate Paul Ryan.
Obama's landmark health care overhaul, which Republicans lacerated at their convention last week, and his job-creation performance were among the initiatives burnished the most.
First Lady Michelle Obama was the main draw and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro the keynoter, but more than four dozen other speakers made presentations.
Among the mischaracterizations:
SAN ANTONIO MAYOR JULIAN CASTRO: "Despite incredible odds and united Republican opposition our president took action. And now we've seen 4.5 million new jobs."
THE FACTS: While that figure has become a White House talking point, it's only part of the story. It's a cherry-picked number that refers just to private sector jobs created in the last 29 months, from the trough of the recession through July. Governments — especially state and local ones — have continued shedding jobs.
The economy lost 8.8 million jobs from the time employment peaked in January 2008 until it hit bottom in February 2010. Between then and this July — the most recent month for which there are figures — just 4 million jobs have been recovered. Never since World War II has the economy been so slow to recover all the jobs lost in a downturn.
Others mischaracterized programs backed by Republican challenger Mitt Romney and GOP running mate Paul Ryan.
Obama's landmark health care overhaul, which Republicans lacerated at their convention last week, and his job-creation performance were among the initiatives burnished the most.
First Lady Michelle Obama was the main draw and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro the keynoter, but more than four dozen other speakers made presentations.
Among the mischaracterizations:
SAN ANTONIO MAYOR JULIAN CASTRO: "Despite incredible odds and united Republican opposition our president took action. And now we've seen 4.5 million new jobs."
THE FACTS: While that figure has become a White House talking point, it's only part of the story. It's a cherry-picked number that refers just to private sector jobs created in the last 29 months, from the trough of the recession through July. Governments — especially state and local ones — have continued shedding jobs.
The economy lost 8.8 million jobs from the time employment peaked in January 2008 until it hit bottom in February 2010. Between then and this July — the most recent month for which there are figures — just 4 million jobs have been recovered. Never since World War II has the economy been so slow to recover all the jobs lost in a downturn.
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